101 Northbridge Rd. • Hanscom AFB, MA 01731Phone: (781) 861-5062 • Fax: (781) 274-7717 • www.hanscomfamilyhousing.com

December 2012

Hanscom Family Housing StaffKelley Casey Community DirectorAngel Medeiros Asst. Comm. DirectorAmanda Carlo Res. Relat. SpecialistKaren Driscoll Admin AssistantJohn Tew Maintenance DirectorRob Waters Asst. Maint. DirectorChristina Magner Maint. CoordinatorTony Wyman Bookkeeper

Maintenance StaffDavid Katt Howard SchonPhil Payne Luis OrtizDoug Best George GrimesCarolina Amaya Raquel CallesTony Simmonds Milko Moncada

Marine Toys for Tots ProgramThe Marine Toys for Tots program

collects new, unwrapped toys thendistributes those toys as Christmas giftsto needy children in the local area. Ouroffice is proud to be a drop-off locationfor this great cause. If you’re interestedin making a donation, please stop byduring business hours.www.toysfortots.org

CornerMaintenance

With winter vastly approaching us,please keep the following in mind.

• Residents are responsible forremoving snow up to 50 feetaround your home.

• If no on-street parking ismandated during inclementweather, there are a number ofoverflow parking lots available—Kelly Ln., Top of Patterson Rd.,Community Center andNeighborhood Center.

• Ice Melt is available at theMaintenance Shop.

Christmas LightDecorating Contest

It’s time for our annual ChristmasLight Decorating Contest. One winnerwill be chosen from eachneighborhood on Tuesday, 18December. We look forward to seeingall your festive homes.

(Veterans Day Event - 12 Nov. 12) Thank you for yourservice and dedication. We’re grateful that you’vechosen Hanscom Family Housing as the place you callhome. Each one of these 728 flags represents one ofour cherished families.

Congratulations to OurNovember Contest Winners!How many in the Jar Contest -

Sam McMenamy“I’m Thankful for” Art Contest -

Miguel Bannister

Office ClosureOur office will be closed on 24,

25, 31 December and 1 Januarydue to the holidays. We hope youhave a safe and Happy Holiday!

Christmas SocialSanta Claus is coming to

Hanscom! Have you told Santa whatyou want for Christmas? If not, tellSanta when you see him onWednesday, 12 December. Santa willalso be available to take a photo withyou and your loved ones. Be on thelookout for more information.

Freeze WarningWe’ll soon be seeing freezing

temperatures. When it gets very cold,we recommend that you let yourfaucets drip to prevent the pipes fromfreezing. Remember to turn on boththe hot and cold faucets to protectboth water lines. It also helps to keepyour cabinet doors open so heat willcirculate around the pipes.

Hanscom@huntcompanies.com

All About EvergreensWhile many trees shed their leaves

during the fall and winter seasons,evergreen trees keep their needleseven through the most dismal winters.They serve as a symbol of new lifeand the coming spring.

Many coniferous evergreens haveneedles, and others have leaves orpalms. Coniferous meanscone-bearing. The tree’s seedsdevelop inside a protective cone,which can take up to three yearsto mature.

Although the trees keep theirneedles through the winter, they donot keep them forever. Evergreensperiodically drop older needles, whichare closer to the main trunk, whileretaining the younger needles fartherout on the branch. The life span of aneedle ranges from two to 17 years,depending on the type of tree.

Evergreens have been used inlandscaping for centuries. EarlyEuropean settlers in America plantedevergreens to block wind and snow.Today, they are also planted forprivacy screens and to provideyear-round color in landscapes.

Not all evergreens are green.Some have foliage that is red, silver,purple or yellow.

Many types of evergreens arenative to the United States, includingred and white pines in the Northeast;ponderosa pine, western white pineand Douglas fir in the RockyMountains; longleaf, shortleaf andloblolly pines in the South; and sugarpine and coast redwood on thePacific coast.

The coast redwoods are the tallesttrees in the world, with somemeasuring more than 370 feet.

“The pine stays green inwinter ... wisdom in hardship.”

—Norman Douglas

Keep Holiday SpendingUnder Control

The holidays can be a wonderfultime as people gather with family andfriends and make memories. Butsometimes what we remember most isthe hefty bill at the end of the season.Here are some tips to help you controlyour spending so all your holidaymemories are happy:

Have a game plan. Make a list ofeverything you usually spend moneyon, including gifts, food, decorations,greeting cards and travel expenses.Decide how much you will spend onthe people on your gift list and on theother items. Keep track of all the

spending and don’t let yourself goover your limit.

Put away the plastic. When you goshopping, use cash. If you don’t havethe cash, don’t buy the item. If youdon’t have the money now, you likelywon’t have it next month when thebill arrives.

Shop smart. Check prices onlineand watch for sales flyers so youknow where to get the most for yourmoney. If you are making a purchaseonline, search for promo codes thatcan get you a discount on thepurchase or free shipping.

Make it yourself. Homemade giftsare often the most appreciated. Theyshow thoughtfulness and are unique.Make some cookies, potpourri or aphoto album. Browse craft books andwebsites for more ideas.

With a little planning, you can enjoythe holidays without breakingthe bank.

Wash Hands to Stay HealthyMost of us know to wash our hands

before eating or after handlinggarbage, but are you washing thecorrect way? What about thosenot-so-obvious places where germscan hide? Here are some things toremember when it comes to washinghands and avoiding bacteria.

According to the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention(CDC), one of the most importantsteps in stopping the spread ofdisease is washing hands with soapand clean, running water. To properlywash hands, wet them first and applysoap. Lather the soap by scrubbingpalms, the backs of hands andunder fingernails. Rinse well anddry thoroughly.

Soap and running water aren’talways available, so carry antibacterialgel as a backup. It doesn’t kill allgerms, however, so don’t use it

exclusively. The CDC recommendsusing a gel with at least 60 percentalcohol. When using antibacterial gel,rub hands together to spread the gelover palms and fingers until skinis dry.

Cold and flu viruses can survive onhard surfaces for up to 18 hours. Toreduce the amount of germs youcome in contact with in public,hand-sanitizing wipes are a goodoption. Use them to clean shoppingcart handles, door knobs, elevatorbuttons and restaurant menus—allranked high on the list of places wherebacteria reside.

The Perfect Party GuestAs the holiday party season gets

under way, follow these tips to ensureyou always have a place on theguest list:

R.S.V.P. When you receive aninvitation, reply as soon as possible.Even if no R.S.V.P. is requested, it’sconsiderate to let your host know ifyou will be able to attend. Take aguest only if you have been invited todo so.

Perfect timing. Never arrive earlyfor a party; this puts the busy host inan awkward spot. Arriving at thestated time, or 10 to 15 minutes after,is ideal.

Mix and mingle. Be prepared tochat with those you know, as well asnew faces. Keep topics casual andupbeat, and avoid potentially sensitivetopics such as politics or religion. If it’san office party, remember you’re notthere to complain about work!

A helping hand. Ask your hostess ifshe needs any help. Even if shedeclines your offer, the gesture willbe appreciated.

Don’t overindulge. Whether onfood or beverages, overindulgence isnot only bad manners, it could alsocause a shortage of food or drink forother guests.

Thank you! Always thank the hostfor having you. You can do thisverbally at the event. If you want tofollow up with a handwritten thank-younote, even better. For office parties,it’s nice to thank the person orcommittee that planned the party,either verbally or with an email.

Chili Rub Slow CookerPulled Pork

Ingredients:• 2 tablespoons chili powder• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder• 3-pound boneless pork shoulder

or sirloin roast• 1 tablespoon canola oil• 1/2 cup chicken brothDirections:In small bowl, combine chili

powder, salt and cayenne. Rubmixture over all sides of meat,pressing to adhere. Set aside.

In large skillet over medium-highheat, warm oil. Add pork and brownon all sides, six to eight minutes.Transfer meat to slow cooker.

Add broth to skillet, scraping upany browned bits, then add broth toslow cooker. Cover and cook untilpork is very tender, six to eight hourson low or four to five hours on high.

Transfer meat to cutting board andlet rest 10 to 15 minutes. Use twoforks to shred meat into bite-sizedpieces. Moisten and season withcooking juices to taste.

For more recipes, visitwww.PorkBeInspired.com.

Wit & Wisdom“Winter is the time for comfort,

for good food and warmth,for the touch of a friendly handand for a talk beside the fire:

it is the time for home.”—Edith Sitwell

“Hot coffee and cold winter morningsare two of the best soul mates who

ever did find each other.”—Terri Guillemets

“Winter is the season in which peopletry to keep the house as warm as it

was in the summer, when theycomplained about the heat.”

—Unknown

“Winter is the time of promise becausethere is so little to do—or because youcan now and then permit yourself the

luxury of thinking so.”—Stanley Crawford

“While I relish our warm months,winter forms our characterand brings out our best.”

—Tom Allen

“I think winter wear is communal.You get some gloves and a scarf from

a lost-and-found box, wash them,wear them for a while until you lose

them. Then somebody elsedoes the same thing.”

—Adrian Grenier

“Perhaps I am a bear, or somehibernating animal underneath,

for the instinct to be half asleep allwinter is so strong in me.”—Anne Morrow Lindbergh

“What good is the warmth of summer,without the cold of winter

to give it sweetness.”—John Steinbeck

New England PatriotsHome GamesGillette Stadium

Foxborough

(800) 543-1776

www.Patriots.com

• Dec. 10 vs. Houston Texans

• Dec. 16 vs. San Francisco 49ers

• Dec. 30 vs. Miami Dolphins

Through Dec. 31Edward Weston: Leaves of GrassMuseum of Fine Arts

(617) 267-9300

www.MFA.org

Dec. 2Michael Dutra: “Strictly Sinatra”Scullers Jazz Club

(617) 562-4111

www.ScullersJazz.com

Dec. 5-9Mummenschanz, 40th AnniversaryCiti Performing Arts Center

(866) 348-9738

www.CitiCenter.org

Dec. 5-Jan. 20, 2013“Pippin”Loeb Drama Center

(617) 547-8300

www.AmericanRepertory

Theater.org

Dec. 7Flam! Pan-Asian MicroJam for J Dilla and Olivier MessiaenBerklee Performance Center

(617) 747-2261

www.BerkleeBPC.com

Dec. 7The Dan BandWilbur Theatre

(866) 448-7849

www.TheWilburTheatre.com

Dec. 10The Berklee Rainbow Band: A Lifetime of Great MusicBerklee Performance Center

(617) 747-2261

www.BerkleeBPC.com

Dec. 12NEC Philharmonia + LittonNew England Conservatory

(617) 585-1260

www.NECMusic.edu

Dec. 15Tyler WardBrighton Music Hall

(617) 562-8804

www.BrightonMusicHall.com

Dec. 15, 16Leonard CohenCiti Performing Arts Center

(866) 348-9738

www.CitiCenter.org

Upcoming Events:

Jan. 19-March 24, 2013Drawn to Woods by Paul OlsonArnold Arboretum

(617) 524-1718

www.Arboretum.Harvard.edu

Feb. 25, 2013Women of the World: Unity in DiversityBerklee Performance Center

(617) 747-2261

www.BerkleeBPC.com

Dates and venues are

subject to change.

December 2012Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

2 3

Rent Is Due

4 5 6 7 8

Hanukkah Begins atSundown

9

Hanukkah

10 11 12

Christmas Social

13 14 15

16 17 18

Christmas LightDecorating ContestWinners Selected

19 20 21

Winter Begins

22

23/30 24/31

Office Closed

25

ChristmasOffice Closed

26

Kwanzaa Begins

27 28 29